Future ministers learn ‘language of emotion’

By: Ashley Fitzpatrick
Date: November 12, 2007

The professor sits with his students at four long tables, arranged in a square at the centre of the classroom.

His trimmed, salt-and-pepper beard has come to him early in life. He also wears glasses, but they are folded on the table in front of him. He is quiet, listening attentively to a student sharing a story about her mother.

The woman mentions her mother was sexually abused, addicted to alcohol and prescription drugs and, later, committed suicide. There are no tears from the student, as the professor and her classmates begin analyzing the offering.

The class is called pastoral theology and Rev. Dr. Jody Clarke is the guide. He is both an associate professor here, at the Atlantic School of Theology, and an Anglican minister.

These students are the future leaders of the church. Clarke believes it is essential they understand what he calls “the language of emotion,” in addition to understanding scripture.

If the students can better understand the difficulties faced by their parishioners, says Clarke, they will be better able to help them cope with emotional trauma.

Awareness comes at a price. It means that these 23 people, who have come from all walks of life to “answer the call,” must first confront their own past traumas and insecurities and prepare for the challenges ahead.

“A case where you’re with a mother whose baby just died. How do you feel?” asks Clarke. “Because you’re pretty anxious, generally. And if she starts asking you questions like ‘How could God do this?’ how do you feel? How do you work with that material?”

Clarke intentionally infuses elements of psychology into his class. He believes bridging theology and psychology will ensure future ministers are more effective spiritual guides.

Clarke has a particular interest in the theories of Sigmund Freud. Outside class, he has practiced Freudian psychotherapy. Clarke believes in Freud’s theories on emotional trauma- that the roots of many of our problems lie within our past experiences.

He has helped to bring seminars on intensive psychotherapy to the Atlantic School of Theology and believes that psychotherapeutic techniques can be useful tools for ministers.

But Clarke hopes that his students will soon be in a position to consider their own approaches, allowing them to help people to see their own path, and avoid silent suffering.

“I think that’s what Jesus is about,” says Clarke, “helping us to see the world in a clear, more honest, fashion. And I’m trying to work with people as they seek to more clearly see their world.”

In today’s theology class, the topic moves from dealing with people with mental illness, to being the first to speak with a mother who has lost a child, to exploring the pains of those who have experienced the horror of war.

With this last topic, a student named Duncan speaks. He was a soldier with the Canadian Forces and has recently returned from Afghanistan. He talks about his friends in the army. He talks about their nightmares.

This time Clarke is the first to respond as the rest of the class turns to him. “Mm-hmm,” he says.